Known length-measuring or angle-measuring systems comprise a plurality of similar scales and a sensor unit, which is moved along the scales and records the information stored thereon. Each scale comprises at least one absolute track or one relative track, also called an incremental track, and an element coding. The element coding serves to characterize or identify the otherwise identical scales, and thus, to determine the position for the sensor unit.
A known measuring system is disclosed in DE 101 17 193 A1, for example. This document discloses a measuring system with a plurality of scales arranged next to each other, each scale comprising an absolute track, an incremental track, and a coding track. The absolute and incremental tracks of the individual scales are identical; only the coding track differs from one scale to another.
The disadvantage of the measuring system of DE 101 17 193 A1 is that, although each individual scale comprises identical features such as absolute and incremental tracks, the coding track must be applied individually to each separate scale. This is very costly, especially in the case of optical systems.
A measuring system according to the capacitive measurement principle with absolute and incremental tracks applied as electrodes to a printed circuit board is disclosed in EP 0 836 076 A1.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a measuring system which overcomes at least some of the above-cited disadvantages and which can be mass-produced at low cost with mature technologies and without complicated fabrication techniques.
This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.